WHY ARE House Republicans shying away from hearings on the activities of the right-wing armed militia movement? Could it be that Speaker Newt Gingrich is worried that testimony might tar the majority party by association?

With lengthy, high-profile hearings about to begin in the House on the 1993 federal assault on the Branch Davidian compound near Waco, Texas -- hearings supported by both Republicans and Democrats -- it seems blatantly one-sided to ignore the equally worrisome growth of armed and angry militia groups for whom Waco has become a rallying cry.

A recent California poll found that more than half of state residents believe the militias constitute a threat to society. And it is likely that the vast majority of Americans consider these armed wackos to be a greater danger than the FBI agents whose behavior at Waco is under investigation.

Senator Arlen Spector has bucked the GOP tide in the Senate by scheduling a brief hearing on militias later this month. But Gingrich has resisted calls by 59 Democrats for similar hearings in the House. What is he afraid of?